For U.S. members worried about the front amber/orange reflectors, please read this..

I've read numerous posts where people are worried about the front reflectors. They think they're stuck in there for good, cannot be replaced by painted reflectors, or that the hole has to be filled with a mold and the bumper resprayed. No need to worry. The reflectors on the 08 M5 are the same as those on the 08 M3 and I've already replaced them on the M5. The instructions below are for the E46 M3 in particular, but they apply to the 08 M3 and M5 as well. If you want them painted, any BMW associated body shop can paint and clear coat your reflectors to your individual color. Find your paint code in the link below and tell the body shop to paint the reflectors your particular paint code. Should be a $50 job at most places.

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Is there a liability issue with painting the reflectors? Meaning, if you were in an accident at night, could an insurance company deny you payment because stock reflectors were not functional?

I guess if the guy is a dick and could prove that the reason for the accident was because you did not have reflectors that could have prevented a accident. But if god forbid you did get into a accident (front end), the reflectors would probably be destroyed or fall off anyway and they wouldnt be able to know or tell. Or you can just pull them off and toss them if you were paranoid and just say they got destroyed in the crash IF they ever question you about reflectors.

Is there a liability issue with painting the reflectors? Meaning, if you were in an accident at night, could an insurance company deny you payment because stock reflectors were not functional?

The reflectors are not very effective at night with your headlights on because they are so close to the headlights, people are going to see your headlights and parking lights first because they are brighter, not the reflectors. The reflectors are there for when your vehicle is parked or not in operation. If someone hits your car at night while it's parked, I think they'd have a tough time proving that it was your fault, if you weren't in the vehicle. There are many, many obsticles in or near roads without reflectors on them.

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Havnt heard that one before. To the untrained eye most wont even know that there was orange reflectors unless side by side comparison. Its not as obvious as not having a front plate or something like that.

The reflectors are not very effective at night with your headlights on because they are so close to the headlights, people are going to see your headlights and parking lights first because they are brighter, not the reflectors. The reflectors are there for when your vehicle is parked or not in operation. If someone hits your car at night while it's parked, I think they'd have a tough time proving that it was your fault, if you weren't in the vehicle.

Yes, that is mainly how they are supposed to function although it can be argued that they serve as a redundant mechanism in the case of headlight failure and so forth if that happens to be the case in your car during the accident, which is a really unlikely combination.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skierman64

There are many, many obsticles in or near roads without reflectors on them.

Ah, I'm not a lawyer, but disabling an existing safety mechanism designed into a product is not the same thing as not having had the safety mechanism in the first place.

Anyway, I just had nasty dealings with an insurance company on a major claim, and I know how hard some try to avoid payment, so I'm probably overly concerned on this one.

Havnt heard that one before. To the untrained eye most wont even know that there was orange reflectors unless side by side comparison. Its not as obvious as not having a front plate or something like that.

true, but if you get robocop on your ass about driving down PCH @ 140mph, I'm sure they'll find everything they can ticket you for in addition to impounding the car.

The chances of you getting ticketed for not having the reflector is slim to none. Cops will ticket you for not having a front plant, but a reflector? Extremely unlikely. And about insurance, I guess that's a chance you take, but that's doubtful to cause a problem.

There are thousands of E46s with Euro Spec bumpers or reflectors painted over etc and I have NEVER heard of a legal prob. I think it's a non-issue magnified by that fact that we are bored silly waiting on the cars to show already. When the cars start rolling off the showroom floor into more home garages let the modding begin